By Suzanne Gerber, Next Avenue editor of the Living & Learning channel

Two facts about boomers and travel are frustratingly out of whack: Our love of travel figures prominently in our future plans and we aren’t taking the right steps to insure we’ll be able to take the trips.

According to the study, which polled 1,500 adults in October 2013, 59% expect to travel during retirement, a goal that was second only to spending time with friends and family.

Of those surveyed, 70% said taking big trips is agoal worth saving for. Nearly half (47%) agreed with the statement that travel is so important to them that it is a necessity, not a luxury. Yet despite the value Americans impart to travel, only 15% place a high priority on actually saving for this expense.

Then the survey drilled down to see just how well (or poorly) people are doing in the money-saving department. A mere 4 percent have a savings account dedicated for travel. Some 14% “have explicitly factored travel into their overall savings strategy.” The majority — 54% — has not done that, but expects their savings to cover anticipated travel; 28% either don’t plan to travel or didn’t respond.

What’s particularly sad is another fact the survey turned up: When asked what they would have done differently, saving for travel topped the list.

Visiting new places is entertaining and it widens our cultural horizons, but the TCRS survey also found that people believe that travel is physically and psychologically beneficial. And there’s good science to back that up. Studies show that travel improves your mood, strengthens your connections with others and reduces stress. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, not taking a break from life’s daily stressors can elevate levels of cortisol in the body, which accelerates the aging process.

Need a little more ammo to plan a vacation? Consider this: The long-running Framingham Heart Study found that women who vacationed every six years or less had a significantly higher risk of developing a heart attack or coronary death than women who traveled for pleasure at least twice a year.

And truly positive better news: Brain research shows that regular participation in social or leisure activities, including travel, is associated with a lower risk of dementia.